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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26978461">Learning to be loved again</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kaaaaarooooo/pseuds/Kaaaaarooooo'>Kaaaaarooooo</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Good Girls (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>5+1, Beth on the contrary isn't a fan of that, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, I'm Bad At Tagging, Light Angst, No Dialogue, Rio love touching Beth, and reciprocate the touche, but she gonna learn to love this again, i can't believe this, like very light, sorry - Freeform, they are domestic</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 21:50:08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,010</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26978461</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kaaaaarooooo/pseuds/Kaaaaarooooo</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Rio is a tactile man, unlike Beth. Over time she will relearn to accept, love and give back those little gestures that sometimes speak more than words. (5+1)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Beth Boland/Rio</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>197</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Learning to be loved again</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/bethrio/gifts">bethrio</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>No beta.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Prologue</p>
<p>Beth had learned very quickly that Rio was a tactile person. His hands, his lips, were his way of communicating, at least with her. He always had a tendency to touch her, a little pat on the shoulder, a lock of hair put back in its place, a comforting squeeze on the arm, a hand on the thigh, and all that before they were even together.</p>
<p>It was confusing for Beth at first, especially when their relationship became something more, real and official.</p>
<p>Beth was the opposite of Rio, except with her children. Even with Annie and Ruby she didn't have much physical contact except when one of them was sad and needed a hug.</p>
<p>It's not that Beth didn't like it; it's just that she hadn't really gotten used to it with her parents and it hadn't worked out with her ex-husband Dean. At about 30 years old and not much of a natural touch, it had taken its toll.</p>
<p>She let Rio touch her, graze her, give her little kisses and stuff, but at the beginning of their relationship, she hadn't encouraged him or given it back. Sometimes Beth was afraid that Rio would take her for a sentimental icicle, but if that had been the case, he had never told her. And now, after years of relationship, she had completely unblocked.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>~~~~~</p>
<p> </p>
<p>1 –</p>
<p>Ever since they were together, Beth and Rio had started movie nights at Beth's house. Rio having Marcus one week out of two and Beth not having the children every weekend except exception like birthdays or other, they took advantage of these evenings to meet and make the other discover their favorite movies.</p>
<p>Beth had been surprised that Rio is very cinephile and that he had a weakness for old black and white movies. Beth preferred the movies to the rosewater, it was cliché but she didn't care.</p>
<p>On these nights, they would take turns choosing a movie to watch with each other. When it was Beth's turn, Rio had to endure the mawkishness of certain scenes, her tears and her handkerchiefs. But fortunately for him, he made up for it the next time, sometimes even making her watch silent movies, which she hated, but that was the game.</p>
<p>Whatever the movie, what Beth liked the most was being alone with him, comfortable enough to wear old pajamas or jogging, her naked skin with no tricks and her ragged hair often combed into a little ponytail, at least for the beginning of the movie.</p>
<p>Beth remembered very well at their first nights, she realized how tactile and affectionate Rio could be without even realizing it.</p>
<p>They were sitting next to each other, their bodies barely grazing each other and that was enough for Beth, she didn't need to be soft or touchy to feel good.</p>
<p>But for Rio it was a different story, in every movie he ended up with his hand twisted in her hair. He had a kind of ritual. A few minutes into the movie, Rio would slide his arm behind her on the top of the couch, like teenagers do on their first date at the cinema, and then as the movie progress, his fingers would find a way through her hair.</p>
<p>When they were tied up, he would start by taking the end of her ponytail between his middle finger and index finger and roll it between them, right, down, left, up, always the same movement without tiring until he loosened her hair, slipping her scrunchy on his own wrist, then he would start his sweet caresses again, untangling the knots, styling the locks and playing with them until the ending credits appeared on the screen and she stood up without a word, walking away from him to turn off the television.</p>
<p>She always found her scrunchy on her bedside table the next morning when he stayed over to sleep, but when he go home she never saw it again.</p>
<p>It wasn't that Beth minded it, it was nice and sometimes it sent thrills all over her body, but the problem was that she felt guilty about not giving him back.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>~~~~~</p>
<p> </p>
<p>2 –</p>
<p>Beth very often wore heels, no actually she wore heels all the time, except when she was at home and knew she wouldn't get out of the day.</p>
<p>The first time she met Rio, she was wearing two-inch heels and even with him he had a head taller than her, but she hadn't really noticed, she was more afraid of his gun on her kitchen counter.</p>
<p>However, on his third visit home, helping her son with his math, she had seen how tall he was compared to her. She told Kenny to go inside. Rio had jumped off the picnic table and moved closer to her. That day she was in slippers, so flat, and there she had really seen the difference in size, he was two or two and a half heads taller than her which made him even more imposing than he already was and forced her to twist her neck back to look him in the eye.</p>
<p>When they began to really see each other, that he spent some nights at her place, she noticed that Rio was taking advantage of this difference and appreciated it.</p>
<p>Rio had gotten used to it, surprising for her; she didn't think he was the kind of man to make this kind of cute gesture, even less in a public place.</p>
<p>She remembered the very first time he had done it. She was in the bathroom, she was coming out of the shower, she had a towel around her naked body, and her hair was still wet and hung over her shoulders.</p>
<p>She was wiping off the steam that had built up on the mirror when two strong arms wrapped around her waist, making her jump. He had put a kiss on her hair and put his chin on the top of her skull.</p>
<p>At first, Beth thought he wanted something, but no, he just wanted to hold her and watch her, through the mirror, wash up for the night.</p>
<p>That night, disturbed by his gesture, Beth had pushed him away, telling him that she couldn't get ready for bed, while he was glued to her like that. He grunted but let her go and went back to the bedroom.</p>
<p>She thought he would have resented her for her coldness, but when she came out of the bathroom, he was lying in her, their bed and waiting for her, smiling when she joined him under the sheets.</p>
<p>Another time it had been much more complicated and it hadn't ended so well.</p>
<p>Beth was in her kitchen with her children, she was dressed in a floral blouse, jeans and her famous black heeled boots.</p>
<p>Beth was putting away the cupcakes, which she had finished baking a few minutes earlier, in boxes. Rio, she, the kids, including Marcus, had planned a trip to the zoo for the day, hence the cake reserve.</p>
<p>When she put the last cupcake in her box, Rio and Marcus entered the house. Marcus came over to give her a hug and immediately joined the other 4 children, who shouted with joy to the new arrivals. Rio came up to her and smiled at her.</p>
<p>Beth had established a rule, no kissing, groping and showing affection in front of the children.</p>
<p>It was nice and warm and it was time to leave. Once everything they needed was set up in the cars, the children fought over who would ride with whom.</p>
<p>Beth had decided that her children would come in her car and that Marcus would go with his father, so that there would be no jealousy, only the children didn't agree, they had started to express their discontent, but Rio had quickly calmed them down.</p>
<p>He stood behind Beth, wrapped his arms around her waist and put his chin on her shoulder, then he ordered them to obey their mother, and added that on the way back they would exchange. He ended with a little kiss on his collarbone.</p>
<p>Beth stiffened up, but she didn't say anything, she didn't want to cause an argument in front of the children.</p>
<p>The day went very well, they all had fun and when they got home, they were so exhausted; they all went to put on their pajamas, wash up at night and go to bed. That night Rio and Marcus were sleeping at her place.</p>
<p>Even though the day had been incredible, Beth still needed to talk to Rio about what he had done, she didn't like to wait to resolve conflicts.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, the conversation quickly turned into an argument. Rio found her rule ridiculous, telling her that children didn't care if their respective parents kissed or touched each other in front of them and that she was the problem. This remark hurt Beth's feelings and before they went too far and said things they would regret later, Rio decided to sleep on the couch, adding that the only reason he stayed at her place was because Marcus was there. Beth hadn't had a good night.</p>
<p>The next morning, Rio and Marcus had left right after breakfast, but Rio had left without a goodbye for her, breaking Beth's heart in the process, but she had kept her face in front of her children.</p>
<p>They had reconciled a few days later, not being able to bear to be in conflict, but Rio had not touched her anymore in front of the children, until she took the initiative.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>~~~~~</p>
<p> </p>
<p>3 –</p>
<p>When Beth first met the family in Rio, she hadn't expected this.</p>
<p>Not only it was a big family event, so it wasn't just his mother and his two sisters, but also many of his cousins, their husbands, wives and children, they must have been more than fifty people, and if Beth had already been stressed when she walked through the door of the Rio bar, which he had privatized for the occasion, it had gotten worse. Her hands had become sweaty, she was very hot, her heart was beating a thousand miles an hour and she felt an unpleasant contraction in her stomach.</p>
<p>But all that hadn't been the worst of it.</p>
<p>She must have suspected that Rio's love for touching others came from somewhere. Her whole family was like that, even the children. She didn't blame them, they were like that, and it was their personalities, like her, which was almost the opposite.</p>
<p>But it had been very confusing to be greeted with so much hugging and being touched by so many strangers. She had just hoped that her discomfort hadn't made itself felt.</p>
<p>To make matters worse, Rio had barely let go of her. Certainly, his presence had been beneficial, because despite everything, it had reassured her to have him by her side to face all these people. But Rio being Rio, he had also multiplied the small touches against her.  Then yes, she hadn't established rules for the marks of public affections other than their children but, she wasn't a fan either, especially in front of his family.</p>
<p>She remembered very well his big warm hand on her lower back, guiding her through the bar every time they moved. His long fingers resting on her thigh, his thumb caressing the inside of her thigh through her jeans, as he sat next to her and felt her stiffening from anxiety. And his lips, kissing her phalanges when he had to leave her for a few minutes because someone was calling him.</p>
<p>He knew that he had only done it to calm her down, to show her that he was there, with her, and it had worked, but the problem was that her actions were not reciprocated and she was afraid that his family would think that she was not sincere with him or that she didn't love him.</p>
<p>Fortunately, over time she had proven them wrong.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>~~~~~</p>
<p> </p>
<p>4 –</p>
<p>Beth would never have thought that Rio was that kind of man. She knew that he was tactile with his hands and that he liked to have his lips on every part of her body when they made love, but it was completely different, it was charnel. While what he did during the day, in front of their respective friends and family was intimate but in an innocent way, and perhaps a little too domestic for Beth, at least at first.</p>
<p>The very first time they were all 5, Annie, Ruby, Mick, Rio and herself, at her house. Rio and Mick had come to drop off a bag full of counterfeit bills; there were 500,000 dollars to wash.</p>
<p>They were all chatting quietly when Rio had to sneak out to answer the phone, when he came back, he apologized, and he had to leave in a hurry because of an emergency with Marcus.</p>
<p>Beth thought he would leave just like that, but she was wrong.</p>
<p>Rio had gotten close to her; he leaned over and gave her a quick kiss goodbye, telling her that they would see each other later. Beth was so surprised by this gesture that she didn't react.</p>
<p>It had become a new habit for Rio. Whenever he had to leave early or when he had to go shopping, and even if he came back later, Beth always ended up with his lips on her. Her mouth, her cheek, her forehead, her temple and her hair.</p>
<p>Once and only once, he had forgotten...For 5 seconds, because as soon as he walked through the door, he came back, ran up to her and kissed her, a little longer followed by 2, 3 little kisses, as if he wanted to make it up to her, and she didn't tell him but she thought it was funny and cute, but that didn't mean she liked it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>~~~~~</p>
<p> </p>
<p>5 –</p>
<p>Rio was very cuddly after sex, he wanted to be in Beth's arms but unfortunately for him it was refused. Beth preferred to be wedged herself on her back or stomach and didn't move anymore. To console himself Rio always had his fingers on her.</p>
<p>No matter the position in which Beth came to her senses, she always had a naked part of her body that was accessible to Rio. Her arms, her upper chest, her back.</p>
<p>His long warm fingers drew or wrote on her naked skin, sending shivers down her spine.</p>
<p>Sometimes Rio imagined tattoos that he traced on her arm, other times he had fun reproducing geometric shapes, but what he liked most was to write with his index finger, words, that she tried to guess, but couldn't because she was too tired, his caresses were like a lullaby for her.</p>
<p>Beth always fell asleep under his touch, without ever having time to tell him to stop this sweet torture.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>~~~~~</p>
<p> </p>
<p>+1 –</p>
<p>- Now when they watched a movie, she wouldn't stand up straight as an "I" when he stroked her hair. No, she would lay half on top of him, her cheek resting on his chest and her arms wrapped around his waist. She wouldn't let go of him until the movie was finished, and often it was even him who made her come back to reality.</p>
<p>- When he would take her in his arms from behind and put his chin on the top of her head or shoulder, she would push her body even more against his, leaving no more space between them, and her hands would join his, their fingers intertwined against her belly, even in front of the children.</p>
<p>- A few days after one of Beth's birthdays, she and Rio had gone to visit his mother for coffee or tea and chatted, with his mother and Rio's sisters. Beth was greeted with a gift from the three women. Beth had been so affected, that without even realizing it, she had embraced them, to the surprise but joy of everyone. She had spent the rest of the day stuck in Rio. Her hand always on him, his shoulder, his neck, his arm, his thigh, his hands. She knew that the family of Rio had accepted her as his girlfriend, but that day something had unblocked. Now she was considered a full-fledged member of their family.</p>
<p>- Beth had come to love his little kisses, so much that when it was her turn to leave, she took the lead and did the same thing. And now, even before he kissed her, she would always lean over to him, tending out her cheek, forehead, skull, and mouth for him to place delicate kisses.</p>
<p>- Beth had agreed to cuddle Rio after sex. They had managed to combine their caresses. Rio continued to draw and write on her skin, but now he was lying half on top of her, his head resting on her full breasts, his favorite place as he often told her, and she was scratching his scalp, like a cat, he loved it. In the end they fell asleep in this position.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>~~~~~</p>
<p> </p>
<p>In conclusion, being with a tactile person like Rio had been complicated for Beth at the beginning of their relationship, but she understood that these small gestures, these marks of innocent and impulsive affections, were his way of telling her that he cared for her, that he loved her and that he would be there for the long term, as long as she wanted him.</p>
<p>In the end, it had been very beneficial for Beth. As their relationship progressed, as the years went by, she had learned to let herself be touched, to appreciate it, to the point where she couldn't live without it. But most importantly, she had evolved, she was no longer passive in their relationship, she had become active. All these little touches, she gave them back to him, without forcing herself. She had discovered that she liked it; she had even taken her own habits, to the great joy of Rio, making him understand that she too, was there for the long term.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks for reading<br/>English isn't my first language, if it has fault, don't hesitate to tell me. I use DeepL for helping me with the translation.<br/>Kudos and comment makes smile!!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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